


I’m complicated, but you make me simple

by HotFuckingMess (moonchild734)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ? because it's gonna be a series of chapters in the lives of hybrid!chanyeol and owner!yifan, Drabble collection?, Fluff, Fluff and (potential) smut, Hybrids, Light Angst, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, child!zitao, krisyeol - Freeform, this is all a pretty loose plan so far
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-06-20 01:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15522729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonchild734/pseuds/HotFuckingMess
Summary: Basically krisyeol hybrid!AU adventures. Just some really cute fluffy chapters with hybrid!chanyeol and his owner!yifan. What more is needed?





	1. you look at me without avoiding my eyes

**Author's Note:**

> back here again, lol  
> know i said the next stuff will be spicy, but that's AFTER this  
> this is just some cute, fluffy fun  
> also a way for me to experiment with writing shorter chapters instead of the 8k monsters i push out  
> will update irregularly, but hopefully the second chapter can come out soon  
> and as always, please give a kudos if you enjoyed the first part!

His ears flattened against his head, his body curving in on itself as he was passed over again, the owner looking for a smaller dog.

“I'm looking for a nice dog, a dog that’s safe to be around my kids.” The woman said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. The employee nodded, shooting a sympathetic look towards the dejected hybrid as they walked away. _I love kids. There's no way I'd hurt them! Just because I'm big, doesn't mean I'm automatically dangerous to kids. I can control myself, even if I'm a bit clumsy_. He thought sourly, his pouty lips curling down into a frown. The excited squeal of the other puppies made his stomach churn in envy and sadness as he slinked off towards the back. _I’ll never be picked. There’s always something wrong with me. I’m too tall, too loud, too clumsy, too this, too that_. His dark thoughts swirled in his head as he hid himself in his ‘house’, away from the positive atmosphere of the hybrid pet shop, _Cloud 9_.

He scoffed bitterly, the irony of the name not being lost on him. _Cloud 9 my tail! Only the small, cute dogs get picked, Or cats, adorable bunnies or hamsters. Heck, even snakes and frogs are more likely to get picked than me! I’m just...no one wants a stupid dog like me_. He whimpered, tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he covered his face with his arms. He spent the rest of the day wallowing in despair as other pets around him got to leave with their new owners. Soon enough, the store closed and the rest of the animals settled for bed. The saddened hybrid ignored the whispers of pity of the other creatures and settled in his bed for another long, endless night of no sleep.

*******

He plastered a smile to his face as more people looking for pets came in. He didn't know how he looked, but he'd hoped his bags weren't too visible. It'd been harder for him to sleep lately, and often crying himself to sleep these past few months. _Maybe I should've asked that employee for a towel. It might've helped my appearance more_. He thought, regretting his refusal for a bathroom break earlier. His brown eyes roamed over the different types of people, his thoughts running wild with fantasies of going home with them, living a happy life and not being stuck at the pet shop.

“You’re never gonna be picked if you look like a madman.” Came the snarky reply. His smile dropped and he shot a glare over at Jongdae, a russian blue with a mean streak a mile wide.  
“Leave me alone, Dae.” Chanyeol muttered, his previously perked up ears now flat on his head. Jongdae snickered, his lips curling up into a smirk as his grey tail swished behind him lazily.  
“I’m trying to help you out here, Chan. You’ve been here the longest, and you’re not getting any younger.” Chanyeol knew all of this, of course; thought about his age and appearance constantly, but he didn’t appreciate the reminder.  
“You might wanna start doing something to attract in humans, ya know? Maybe try being quieter, or maybe not so clumsy when humans show up. Hell, try making yourself as small as possible. Or, maybe actually getting some sleep instead of the naps you take? That would definitely help your overall appearance better. Don't you even want to get out of this place? Into a home outside the-”

“And over here, we have our dog and puppy section.” Came the voice of another employee, Jin his name tag read, interrupting Jongdae’s lecture that was slowly bringing Chanyeol’s hopeful mood down. He didn’t even raise his head at the voice, expecting to be passed over yet again for a better--smaller--dog. He did flinch, however, when two pairs of shoes stopped right in front of his area. He slowly raised his head, his plump lower lip trapped beneath his sharp canine as his eyes drank in the possibly owner. He nearly scrambled back when he noticed the fierce look on the other’s face. _He looks angry, but he’s...he’s so pretty!_ The beautiful man grunted, his dark hazel eyes slowly running over Chanyeol. Chanyeol shivered, chewing on his lip absentmindedly as Jin began talking again, seemingly undeterred by the stranger’s silence. He'd never been more aware of his less than attractive appearance before, and regretted ignoring Jungwoo’s advice.

“Here is one of our oldest dogs-” Chanyeol winced.   
“-by far. His name is Chanyeol and he’s a german shepherd, around twenty six in human years. He-” Chanyeol tuned out his rambling, instead opting to ogle more at the man in front of him. His eyebrows were dark, a stark contrast to his pale skin and silvery blue hair. His mouth was small and pink, it being pulled downwards as he stared at the babbling store worker. His ears had silver piercings and a pair of sunglasses rested on top of his head. He was tall, even taller than Chanyeol himself and his shoulders were broad and strong looking.

His shoulder and chest muscles rippled as he shifted, the tight white tee doing nothing to hide his strong physic. There was even a hint of a tattoo on his shoulder, the tee faintly showing the design and a sliver of it peeking out from his bicep. His mile long legs were covered in a pair of dark blue jeans and his fingers had three silver rings on each hand. In total, he looked like a perfect ten, and Chanyeol was wondering if he was really this lucky to get such an attractive owner. _He could still be a serial killer, or a complete jerk. You never know with humans_. His mind whispered. He decided to ignore his negative thoughts, instead smiling brightly at the man in hopes of keeping his attention. He hoped the stranger didn't mind his red-rimmed eyes and dark circles.

It seemed to be the case, as the stranger's eyes were more curious than judging. Chanyeol waved shyly, curling his tail around his waist as he did so. The man blinked, before showing him a small smile, waving his large hand back. Chanyeol felt his cheeks burn and he giggled, bashfully hiding his face behind his hands. He peeked through his fingers, hoping that the childish display didn't ward him off. Again, he was proven wrong as the man was still looking at him, his eyes soft and his smile showing off his pink gums. He squeaked and hid again. _Gosh, I hope I'm not embarrassing myself. He seems like a decent guy so far. Or maybe I'm just too trusting_. He frowned behind his hands, peeking out from them one more time. His eyes locked with the perfect stranger’s amused orbs, his face feeling incredibly hot. The man grinned, nodding almost to himself before turning to the employee.

“I'll take him.”  
Jin blinked, before nodding, a small smile on his face as he unhooked a ring if keys from his belt.  
“One moment, sir.” He said, walking to the barrier in front of them. He unlocked it, and gestured for Chanyeol to get out. But the hybrid was in shock. He was happy, ecstatic even, but also incredibly nervous. _Don't mess up, don't mess up, don't mess up_. He chanted inside his head, ignoring Jongdae's smirk and the clatter of the other hybrids around him as he and the man were led to the front counter.

The stranger stayed close to Chanyeol, but still kept his hands to himself, something that Chanyeol appreciated but also resented a bit. He'd been without touch for so long (mostly because of his own isolation) that any sign of affection would make him feel content, even if it was only a brush of the shoulders.  
“Chanyeol?” He perked up at the sound of his name.  
“Why don't you wait here while I help Mr. Wu?” Chanyeol frowned, eyes automatically finding his new owner, Mr. Wu as Jin called him. Mr. Wu just gave him a small smile and a shake of his head. He pouted, nodding reluctantly as he sat down on the plastic chair a few feet away from the desk. Jin shot him a bright grin, before walking behind the desk.

Mr. Wu reached over slowly, giving him enough time for him to move if he didn't want to be touched. Even as Chanyeol appreciated the gesture, he was still hungry for affection. So, instead of shying away, he eagerly leaned towards his large hand, the warmth bringing a large smile against his face as his hand scratched behind his ears.  
“Good boy.” Mr. Wu whispered, and Chanyeol all but melted into the small chair, tail wagging rapidly as his eyes fell closed. Mr. Wu chuckled, slowly retracting his hand. He quietly shushed Chanyeol when he whimpered, but he looked more amused than upset. He gave on last smile, before walking towards the desk, where the employee began giving him papers to fill out.

He watched them talk quietly, tail thumping excitedly when Jin waved him over. He stood up, but nearly tripped over the chair in his excitement. His cheeks felt hot as he ducked his head, quickly walking over to the desk.  
“You okay there, Chanyeol?” Mr. Wu asked, and Chanyeol felt his embarrassment double.  
“I’m fine.” He said softly, clutching his tail. He received another pat on the head in response before Jin called for his attention.  
“I need to remove your collar?” He said, holding a pair of scissors in his hand. Chanyeol blinked, fingering the thin strip of fabric wrapped around his throat.  
“Oh, um, okay.” He mumbled, leaning forward as Jin came closer with the scissors. He flinched when the cool metal slid near his pulse, quickly hiding behind Mr. Wu once the strip was cut. His head was patted again, Mr. Wu’s hand coming to hold his as they walked out of the pet store.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while, Chanyeol eagerly watching the people pass by. He knew his excitement was showing, but he really couldn’t find it in himself to be timid when this is what he’s _always_ wanted; to be out and see the world beyond the pet store.  
“Have you never been outside before?” Mr. Wu asked after a while. Chanyeol was wondering where they were going, but chose to answer instead of focus on that.  
“No, I’ve lived my entire life inside _Cloud 9_ , master.” He said, blinking when Mr. Wu’s face twisted in displeasure.  
“Please don’t call me that, it sounds weird.” He said, and Chanyeol felt bad for making his owner uncomfortable.  
“Oh, I’m sorry, um..” He tried to think of something, but he figured if he didn’t like master, then sir would be too much, right?  
“Yifan. You can just use my name.” He said, wrapping a hand around Chanyeol’s waist as he steered them towards the other side of the street.  
“Yifan?” He repeated, smiling when Yifan squeezed his side.  
“Yep, none of that master shit, okay?” He mumbled, stopping in front of a silver car. Chanyeol nodded rapidly, a little surprised by the swear but excited nonetheless when he received an ear scratch.  
 _I can tell I’m gonna really like my Yifan._ He thought, not noticing exactly what he thought about his new owner.


	2. it's because your gestures take my breath away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello  
> It is I, back again with another chapter  
> Like I said before these will come pretty irregularly but I'm so glad that this had a positive response!  
> Thank you to all who left comments and I hope this chap will excite you for the next one ^^

Chanyeol groaned, blinking open his eyes as he felt the bed shift. He rolled over, jumping when a high pitched squeal rang out in the room.  
“Taozi?” He questioned, rolling back over to look at the adorable five year old currently snuggling into the covers next to him.  
“What're you doin’ in here?” He yawned, scratching behind his black ears. Taozi, well Zitao, pouted.  
“FanFan went to work early! So, I decided to come play with you!” He cheered and Chanyeol couldn't help but smile slightly, even if he was still dead tired. He sighed quietly to himself, preparing for another day of Zitao’s boundless energy, before laughing.

“Alright then, did you eat?” The black haired boy nodded, grinning as he latched onto Chanyeol's arm.  
“Yeah! FanFan made me some peach oatmeal this morning!” Chanyeol nodded, briefly looking outside. _It's still winter, so that makes sense_.  
“Well since you've eaten-” he was interrupted by Zitao's shake of his head.  
“Nuh-uh, Loey!” Chanyeol smiled at the nickname. Zitao had such trouble pronouncing his full name that he gave up and started calling him Loey instead.

“You have to eat first! FanFan said you can't start your day without a good breakfast!” He said, nodding seriously as he tugged the hybrid out of the bed. Chanyeol smiled down at the adorable kid, remembering how shy he was at first when the hybrid first entered the apartment. As Zitao chatted happily about the cartoons he watched earlier, Chanyeol fixed himself a quick breakfast of eggs and toast. He quickly wolfed down his food, noticing how antsy Zitao had become. After setting the used plate and fork on the counter near the sink, he turned towards the impatient child.

“Alright, now that I’ve eaten, what did you want to do today?” He asked, arms resting on his hips as he gave Zitao an expectant look. Zitao grinned.  
“I wanna go outside and play!”  
Chanyeol blinked, eyes flickering to the large windows in the living area. They were up on the tenth floor, but he could just barely see the ground below covered in snow.  
“Oh, um...I don’t really know if I’m allowed...” His voice trailed off, tail anxiously wrapping around his leg as he tried to think back on the rules Yifan had given him.

_No breaking things_  
_No eating food that isn’t yours_  
_No leaving your toys lying on the floor_  
_No roughhousing with Zitao_  
_**No leaving without permission** _

“Ah, I’m sorry Zitao but I can’t leave without permission…” He said, but Zitao seemed undeterred.  
“Then ask, FanFan! I’m sure he’ll be okay with it!” Chanyeol winced, but he soon caved when Zitao gave him a hopeful smile. He shakily reached for the house phone, slowly typing in Yifan’s cell number taped next to it. He hated asking Yifan for anything, always feeling like a burden whenever he did. And he didn’t want to Yifan say no, even if he was a little nervous to be going outside. _That and if Zitao starts crying, I’ll start crying. That won’t be fun for anyone_.

He looked at Zitao as the call went through, feeling only a bit relieved when he latched onto his leg and started playing with his tail. Chanyeol never really minded when Yifan or Zitao played with his tail, both being extremely gentle when touching the dark fur. He ran his fingers through Zitao’s hair when the dial tone disappeared, needing something to ground himself with as Yifan’s voice reverberated through his ear.  
“ _Chanyeol? Is something wrong?_ ” Chanyeol smiled a little at the worried tone, but quickly reassured his owner.  
“No, everything’s fine. Just, um, well..” He fumbled, trying to phrase his question when Zitao whined and made grabby hands for the phone.  
“Let me, let me!” Zitao pouted, cheering when Chanyeol handed the phone to him. _I’m not pathetic if I let Zitao ask. He wanted to after all_. He thought, but the rush of relief as Zitao chirped happily to Yifan said otherwise.  
“Really?!” Zitao gasped, eyes sparkling in delight as he jumped around. Chanyeol dodged the foot that nearly stepped on his, watching in a mixture of confusion and amusement. _What did Yifan say?_ Zitao stopped, his mouth drooping into a frown.  
“But that's too long! The snow-” He pouted further, crossing his arm over his middle.  
“Oh, okay then.” He mumbled, stomping back over to Chanyeol and giving him the phone.  
“FanFan wants to talk to you.” He sulked, turning around to walk to the couch after Chanyeol took the phone. He blinked, looking back and forth between Zitao and the device in his hands before he cautiously put it up to his ear.  
“H...hello?”  
“ _Is Taozi sulking?_ ” Yifan asked, a chuckle falling from his lips after Chanyeol voiced his confirmation.  
“ _Ah, I guess I'm not really surprised._ ”  
“Um, why is he upset? He was really excited before…” He mumbled, his tail wrapping around his leg. He was a bit nervous, and a lot confused.  
“ _I told him to wait until I got home. I did go in a bit early today, so much of my paperwork is complete. I should be home in around two or three hours._ ”  
“Oh.” He felt something like disappointment fill his chest, but he tried to push that feeling aside. He might not have been _excited_ at the prospect of playing outside with just Zitao, but that didn't mean he didn't _want_ to. _It doesn't mean he doesn't trust you, silly! He probably just wants to spend time with Zitao_.  
Yifan snorted. “ _Don’t sound too excited now._ ” Chanyeol flinched.  
“Oh, no wait-I didn't mean-” His face felt hot, mouth fumbling over his words as he tried to explain himself. Yifan laughed, shushing Chanyeol as the sound of a creaking chair carried over the phone.  
“ _I'm just teasing, Chanyeol. No need to be so stiff._ ”  
“R..right. Yeah..”He tried to laugh it off, voice cracking in the middle. He covered his mouth with his hand, squeezing his eyes shut. _Why am I like this?_  
“ _Chanyeol?_ ” Yifan's voice was soft. “ _You okay there?_ ”  
“Yeah, just...yeah I'm fine.” He hoped Yifan couldn't hear the lie in his voice. He knew he failed when Yifan made a soothing noise in his throat.  
“ _Hey, it's okay. What's wrong?_ ” Chanyeol squeezed his fingers together. He really didn't want to talk about this right now, not when Yifan was so far away.  
“Noth-It’s nothing, okay? I'm fine.” He stammered out, wincing when Yifan sighed.  
“ _Chanyeol-_ ” He grunted. Chanyeol heard a faint knock on Yifan's end and another male voice say something muffled. Yifan grumbled something under his breath.  
“ _Fuck. Chanyeol, we'll talk when I get home. Luhan needs me too look over a case. Are you gonna be okay?_ ” He sounded apologetic, voice a low whisper as the sound of footsteps echoed in the background. Chanyeol swallowed, plastering a fake smile on his face and trying to sound as happy as he could.  
“It's okay, Yifan! Go on and finish your work so you and Zitao can go play.”  
“ _Chanyeol? What do you mean just me and Taozi-_ ”  
“See you later!” He yelled, slamming the phone on the receiver. He fell to his knees, groaning into his hands as he mentally berated himself. _You dummy! You just had to go and open your big mouth_. He whined, flinching a small hand rubbed his back.

“Loey?” He sucked in a breath.  
“Yeah, Taozi?”  
“Do you wanna watch SpongeBob with me?”  
Chanyeol laughed, the worried innocence in Zitaos voice lifting his mood up even if he knew it would soon plummet again.  
“Yeah. Let's go watch some SpongeBob.”


	3. a long silence tightens my heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas to those who enjoy the holiday and Happy Holidays to those that don't!  
> I am back again with another chapter that is definitely angstier than the last, lol   
> Idk how well this flows with the rest, though ^^;
> 
> Let me know in the comments if this chapter is okay, and maaaaybe I'll upload another one because of it ;)  
> (jk I'll do that anyway because angst is my shit fam)

Chanyeol was a nervous wreck three hours later. He'd been in the bathroom- _totally_ not hiding from Yifan when he called-when Yifan said he'd be home at around 2:30, 3:00. Zitao had been over the moon, bouncing up and down as he excitedly looked out the window. The snow was still covering the ground, thick white fluffs falling down from the grey sky by the time 2:46 rolled around.

Chanyeol was busying himself by starting a bath, desperately trying to lower his anxiety as Zitao was left to watch more cartoons in the living room. It seemed to work in the beginning, the warm smell of apples and cinnamon from the soap and the bubbly foam doing an excellent job of distracting him. He even hummed along to the theme music he could hear from his place in the bathroom, laughing when Zitao started belting out the beginning lyrics to Sailor Moon. He was genuinely forgetting his nervousness, ducking his head under the water to get the soap out if his hair when Zitao squealed. He popped his head back up, frowning before completely freezing up when a familiar chuckle reached his ears. _Oh no, oh no._ He whined lowly, his hands covering his face as he tried not to cry. His ears still picked up on their conversation, though, and he was forced to listen to them speak even when they were so far apart.

“How was your day, Taozi?”  
“Oh, it was awesome! I didn't really like waiting for you to come home, but Loey and I watched SpongeBob all morning! He even let me turn on Sailor Moon!” Chanyeol couldn't help but smile weakly. Zitao was such a sweet kid, even if he could be a little whiny, and he loved Chanyeol almost as much as he loved Yifan.   
“Where is Chanyeol, anyway? He didn't come greet me like he normally did.” He felt his lungs seize, the tiny, almost unnoticeable disappointment in Yifan's voice making Chanyeol feel even sillier for his nervousness. His fingers twitched, his body itching for him to _move_ and _comfort_ when he felt his owner's hurt feelings.  
“Oh, he said he was taking a bath! He wanted to be clean before we went out.” Zitao said it in such an innocently obvious way that Chanyeol felt a surprised laugh leave him. _What a funny kid._ He snickered, some of his anxiety melting when Yifan laughed too.  
“Oh, of course. But doesn't that mean we all need baths too?” He asked, his footsteps moving from the front door to somewhere closer to the bathroom. Chanyeol felt his stomach twist at Zitao's gasp.

“Oh! I didn't even think of it like that!” Yifan chuckled.  
“Well, he won't mind if you join him, will he?”  
“But what about you, FanFan? You need one too!”  
“Ah, I've got a few stuff to work on before we leave, so while you two get cleaned, I'll finish it.” He replied, voice now right outside of the bathroom door.  
“But you're always so slow whenever you're last, FanFan!” Zitao whined. Yifan feigned a hurt noise.

“Hey, I'm not slow. You two are just moving too fast.” He huffed, and going by Zitao's giggles, he probably pinched his nose. There was a slight grunt from Yifan and a second pair of feet stood outside the door.  
“Here, you knock and ask Chanyeol while I go finish up.”  
“But we'd be so much faster if we all took one together, FanFan!” Chanyeol had to swallow back his scream. He didn't know what the feeling tingling up his spine was, but he didn't like how hot his body suddenly felt. He'd never taken a bath with Yifan at all, and just the thought of seeing his body naked made Chanyeol restlessness. _What...why do I feel like this…?_  
“No, Taozi...besides, I don't think Chanyeol really wants to see me right now. He might be a little upset with me.” He laughed, but there was a certain sadness to it that had Chanyeol leaping out of the tub and running out to comfort him. If there was one thing he absolutely couldn't stand, it was his owner or anyone he cared about sad. Not an entirely uncommon thought in normal people, but Chanyeol was the type to _immediately_ act if even a small hint of sadness was shown. 

He managed to grab a small towel and wrap it around his waist before throwing open the door. Yifan's eyes widened, his mouth parting open in silent shock. Zitao backed away, his favorite panda toy clutched in his arms as he stared at Chanyeol, eyes wide and confused.  
“I'm not upset! I promise! And it's not like I don't wanna see you, I just-I just get really nervous about small things. And what you _said_ was really small, and I know you didn't _mean_ it that way but it still hurt and-” He didn't realize he was crying until two warm hands cupped his cheeks. He sniffled, eyes staring back at Yifan's as he used his thumbs to wipe away the wetness trailing down Chanyeol's cheeks.  
“Chanyeol.” He sighed, lips curling into a small frown as he knocked their foreheads together. Chanyeol flinched, lowering his eyes to the wooden floor as embarrassment heated his neck. He knew that he just made himself look even sillier, but he couldn't help it. He hated any of his important people upset, and he would do anything to see them smile. Instead, he seemed to make Yifab even more upset, and when he glanced over at Zitao, he saw that he was looking at Chanyeol worriedly too. _Great. Just freaking great. Here you go again, blowing things out of proportion and making yourself look like an idiot. This is it, Chanyeol. This is when Yifan takes you back and starts explaining why he can't have you anymore. Just freaking great-_

“Zitao. Why don't you go watch some Sailor Moon in the living room for a little while, okay? Chanyeol and I need to talk.” Yifan asked, raising his head up and opening his eyes. He gave Zitao a small, tired smile as he let his hands drop from Chanyeol's face. Chanyeol felt his stomach drop with his hands, his anxiety returning making his heart beat faster. He also became aware of his current state; soap clinging to his hair, water dripping from his back and small towel wrapped around his waist as his skin prickled in the cool air of the apartment.

“...Okay, FanFan. You better hurry up! I still wanna go play in the snow with you two!” He pouted, sending them both stern looks before dragging his panda with him to the living room. Yifan sighed once he left, raising a hand to cover his mouth as he stared at Chanyeol with an unreadable expression.

This was it. This was the moment he'd be given back to the store. After five months of living with Yifan and Zitao, after all of their birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and damn near Christmas since the holiday was only another week or so away, he would finally be kicked out. _Maybe I'm just not ment to live with humans._ He sucked in his lower lip, feeling his ears droop and tail hang in between his legs as he tried to swallow back a fresh wave of tears.

Yifan sighed again, his brows drawing together as he slid his hands into his pockets. Chanyeol stared at his chest instead of his eyes, curling in on himself when Yifan stepped forward.  
“...C'mon. You've still got soap in your hair and we really need to have a talk.” He mumbled, lightly turning Chanyeol around and pushing him towards the bathroom door. He felt a shiver go down his spine when Yifan touched his shoulder, but he seemed to take it as if he were cold and hurriedly pushed him inside.  
“I can't believe you just ran out in a towel, Chanyeol. It may be warm inside the apartment, but it's still in the middle of December and we don't always have the best heating.” Yifan scolded, closing the door shut behind him and waiting for Chanyeol to jump into the bath before he faced him. He still didn't look directly at Yifan's face, whining and hanging his head after he finished.

“I know, I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking.” He whispered, unconsciously moving forward when Yifan breathed out through his nose.  
“I know, Chanyeol. I know.” He sounded so _fond_ , exasperated and just a bit weary yes, but there was clear affection coloring his voice that Chanyeol couldn't help but crack a smile. A rustle of clothing made Chanyeol snap his gaze up to Yifan, who was shedding his suit jacket and unbuckling his belt.  
“Are...are you coming in with me?!” Chanyeol squeaked, eyes trying and failing to look away from Yifan's exposed chest. He hummed absently, letting his shirt pool on the floor as he stepped out of his pants. It was honestly too much skin for Chanyeol to witness of his very attractive owner, but he forced himself to look away and make room.  
“Yeah, I figure it's better that we talk while we're washing up. That and I could really use a bath right now.” He groaned and Chanyeol stopped himself from looking at any place improper once Yifan slid into the bathtub. At first, his back faced Chanyeol, but after some maneuvering, it was Chanyeol who ended up facing the other way with Yifan pressed close to his back.

He was nervous. Oh so _nervous_ because parts of his anatomy were stirring to life that had never really been _alive_ before and, well. He didn't wanna do something even more embarrassing than he already did. This was the first time Yifan had joined him in the bath, bare skin touching bare skin, and he wasn't sure if he understood all of the feelings bubbling inside of him because of his owner's presence. But he liked the warmth of Yifan's skin and could ignore the feelings churning up his gut in order to lean back and soak up the affection Yifan was giving him. Who knows when he'd ever get this type of treatment again? If he really thought Yifan was going to give him away-and he really did-he'd want to get as much attention as he could.

“So….you said we needed to talk?” He bit his lip when his voice cracked in the middle, shoulders relaxing when Yifan made a low noise and pressed his cheek into Chanyeol's temple.  
“Shh, it's not anything bad. I promise you, it's not, sweetheart.” He whispered, hands rubbing Chanyeol's sides. He sighed, nodding his head and resting his entire weight onto Yifan. Not all of his nerves disappeared, but the portion that thought he was being kicked out did. _Yifan promised it wouldn't be bad, so it won't be bad._ He thought, titling his head to the side to stare at Yifan.

“I want to know if I'm a good owner to you. I wanna know, am I good at taking care of you? Do you feel as loved and protected as you should be?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asdfghjkl did I upset ya'll?
> 
> I'm sorry, askskskj  
> I just, I just really wanted to give ya'll something to chew on while I crank out these chapters, hopefully once a month
> 
> and if some parts seem rushed, I apologize  
> very minimal editing was done to this chap because I wanted to get it out to those who're reading this lil story


End file.
